Welcome back Ben 10
by One Time Dancer
Summary: after two years of high school in new york Ben is back, and has he lost all feelings to a certain auburn haired girl who wants nothing more but for him to have her heart? Hopefully not. BenxGwen
1. Prologue

To sum her up I'd have to say; Geek. But I would only ever say that around her. Or Kevin. Just who does he think he is anyway?? Flirting with her all the time and smiling at her like he's her boyfriend. I swear if I ever find out I would just leave. And I know exactly why I would too. I figured it out along time ago. And I've made peace with it. But every single time I see them sitting together I want to get between, and just stop whatever might happen. They don't know how annoying it is to constantly feel like the third wheel all the time! The leader, the hero, the only thing that keeps them from slobbering all over each other. The person that gets in the way of their stupid damn lovey dovey acts. I can't stand it! I just want to tell her, but I can't. I can never tell her. I know she likes him. Hell, with the way she looks at him sometimes it seems that she loves him. It's always, "Stop arguing with Kevin" or "I think Kevin has a point" or the one I hate the most "Why can't you be more like Kevin". Yeah right; I am going to be like an ex(?)-psychopathic idiot who tried to kill me, her, and my Grandpa for a stupid alien watch latched to my wrist for all eternity! No. It's not gonna happen. I know they both like each other, but if they ever go out, I'm gone. Hell, what do they need a freak like me or? I change to aliens. Big whoop. If I ever lost my watch they would both ditch me so quick I wouldn't see it coming. And who can blame 'em? Without this- this- _thing_ on my wrist I'm no use to anyone! But the point of this writing here is for me to get my, thoughts, yeah thoughts, out. Because tonight I'm gonna tell her how I feel, and I won't care if she rejects me or not. Forget my parents, I don't care what they think. And then, I'll deal with what happens next.

Tonight's the night.

It's now or never.

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Had to do it. Just felt like it should be done. Later. Chapter 4 here I come!

P.s. Please don't flame


	2. Welcome Back Benjamin

A young man was on a train with ear buds plugged in his ears. His incredibly fierce green eyes glued to the passing scenery outside the car window of the train. He wore a black jacket with short sleeves and light stone blue jeans; and his hair a dark brown and ruffled yet it seemed to fit him well. A watch like object was on his wrist, bearing the colors of green, white, and black along with grey in some places. To his right were two brief cases, one a dark burgundy and the other a white with the words 'Benjamin Tennyson' on the front of both of them.

He blinked as he saw a station coming up, and began to gather his two brief cases. His arms showed toned muscles, subtle but they were there. He took a glance out at the sky to see it grey and threatening to rain any minute. He pulled up his jackets hoody and zipped it up and also took out his ear phones and turned off his mp3 before picking up the two cases and exiting the car of the train and to the exiting door, to see a bustling station. After they opened, he went through the doors and made a beeline for the buses, walking faster than some to ensure a seat. "Free fare today son, hop on." He smiled a little smile and nodded to the driver who seemed to be in a good mood and hopped on the bus that on the outside said, 'Bellville 21A'.

The young man had gotten a seat by the window, wanting to see the rain fall. He placed his ear phones back in his ears once again as the bus started to get more and more passengers and the engine started. No one took a seat next to him thankfully, which might have been because there weren't that many people on the bus, or that he had his suit cases on his seat and the look on his face that he did not want to be bothered. He switched the searched for a good song and ended up on 'Ill Run' as his mind began to go off into another world. That world being the past.

_15 year old Ben Tennyson stood in front of Kevin Levin with a glare that could kill. "What do you care Tennyson?! She likes me! Get over it!!" The sky was dark as stars started to show their location in the cosmos. "I don't trust you!! How could you have-" An orange reddish haired girl stepped out of no where, dressed in preppy like clothes and had a serious look on her face as she interrupted the two's argument. "BEN!! Shut UP!! I'm sick and tired of you berating Kevin!! He's changed! I don't need you to look out for me!! I can take of myself well enough and Kevin can help with that!!! Just leave!! Leave me, leave us!!" Ben dropped his fists slowly, "But Gwen…I…" She shot him a glare that would have made the one he gave Kevin look like a a giant smile. He took the hint well. Very well. "Fine…" _

_With that he took off down the road towards his house, walking in such a manner that showed anger, but more importantly, sadness and disappointment. Something told him to confirm what had just transpired, in such a short span of seconds. He hesitantly, almost cautiously, turned his head around, and looked at the auburn haired Gwen, looking at him with fire in her eyes, and Kevin, smirking triumphantly. His heart stopped suddenly as his eyes floated toward the ground, only to stop short. Gwen and Kevin's hands were interlaced, grasping each other for dear life. He turned back around, and continued walking, sadness taking over the aura that invisibly covered him that night._

**_Believe me, and don't think twice  
And don't leave me or say goodbye  
Believe me, believe me tonight_**

**_Believe me and don't think twice  
Believe me_**

**_And I'll run,  
Have a little faith in me,  
You're scared and alone_**

_BEFORE THE FIGHT_

_Ben lay on his bed,resting his pen down, while absently listening to a commercial add on the TV. His room was neat, yet classically messy like every teenagers would be. "Ben! Honey?" His mother called him from outside the door. "Yeah mom??" He turned down the TV for her. "You have a letter. It's from some fancy high-school. Here." In her hand was a red envelope that she handed to Ben as she made her way in his room. "Thanks mom." She smiled at her messy son. "And clean up this room there are clothes everywhere mister!" With that she shut the door and chuckled audibly. He laid back down on his bed stomach firs, while the springs, screeched. Under his arms were pieces of paper, carelessly scribbled on, and some crumpled. One hadn't been, and it actually had a reasonable amount of words on it. Ben glanced at it and sighed, before speaking to himself as wind beat the windows on the cold summer night. "Hmm, I should get to Gwen… It's now or never for me to say it…" He began to put on his shoes and a clean t-shirt. for He smoothed out his wrinkled clothes, sighing deeply, and walked out his bed room door__ to go to what was supposed to be a happy occasion.__.._

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**_Because sometimes, baby, you fall on your back  
But girl, you're three times a lady I'll ever have  
You know, you know it's true  
This is a fight I refuse to lose_**

**_And I'll run (And I'll run)  
Have a little faith in me  
You're scared and alone  
And I'll run (And I'll run)  
This is where we both break free  
I'll bring you home, you home, you home_**

_TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIGHT_

_Ben took the offer to the high school which happened to be in New York. He walked towards the train, holding two brief cases. He had held a heavy heart for leaving his hometown, his parents, his friends, and unfortunately, just **Gwen.** (_If you don't get the implication you won't later_) He took a single glance back and smiled sadly. He convinced himself it was best for him and her to leave. And the part of him deserving a vacation from the hero business helped his conviction also. His hair flowed freely as he turned his head back to the interior of the open door train car. Dark red and white on the inside with lights on the walls. He saw a few other kids his age, probably going to the high school he was. The young hero found a comfortable seat and placed his cases on the rack above his head, and sat down. He looked out into the starry night sky as he pulled his jacket collar closer to him. But little did he know at his house, Gwen Tennyson was getting ready to apologize and make up with him and as she stepped up the stairs of the Tennyson home. She hoped he would forgive her for those harsh words that she said. But she had no idea that he left, no one told her. Unfortunately poor Ben took those words to heart, very well.  
_

_PRESENT_

Ben pulled the string on the bus to request the stop. The song he was just listening to ended, as well as his flashbacks. Oh how he hated that songs seemed to fit with whatever he was thinking about. It made him feel like he was in a movie scene. He still had his hood up, and as the bus topped, turned off his mp3 and grabbed his things before stepping out into the rain of Bayville. He smiled at how his parents might react in seeing him. He had asked his mom not to throw a party, and hoped she wouldn't. Maybe for once she wouldn't. Just **_maybe_**…. But he knew she wouldn't, that's why he came three days early.

He was at his home before he knew it. He was a little apprehensive about going in, or even grasping the doorknob for that matter. But he wasn't wearing a long sleeve jacket, and it was pouring outside. If he waited any longer he would have caught a cold. He made a movement to get a hold of the doorknob, and turned and pushed, stepping into the nice, warm house. One person on the couch turned to see the intruder. Gwen Tennyson yelled in surprise, "BEN!?"


	3. Nerdlinger?

A/N: I want to thank Koji Ryuzaki for my first review on the story, because I didn't really think I would get any ^ ^

**DISCLAIMER: I do**'* own Ben 10 **

On with the story!

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His eyebrow twitched crazily. His body froze over at the sight of her. His luggage nearly crushed his feet as they slipped from his tightened grasp somehow. In her point of view the room melted away. Her voice echoed throughout her mind repeating his name as he was the only one standing before her. She missed him so much! Not that the young magic user would ever admit anything like that. Everyone has their pride. Or their stupidity. It took all of Gwen's strength not to pounce on him and hug him close to her so he would never get away. Not again… But she failed to notice a brief splash of pain and awkwardness in his eyes. That would have said, 'I do not want to be here now. Get me out now.' Her body decided to listen to her mind and walked over to the frozen Tennyson. Slowly. He was very much taller than her, able to look down at her eyes; something that he did not want to do.

But Gwen relished in the pools of deep green that were his eyes. She found herself lost in them as she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. But he was less than enthusiastic about this particular reunion; one which he had been hoping to avoid until he left again or not even see her at all. But then again, luck had never really been his specialty. It was hard for Ben not to look at her. Her hair had become a mix between golden orange and ruby red, but the orange still showed through. It reflected the light of the room and shimmered elegantly like a princess'. Her eyes became more emerald and intense, to a point were he feared that he would never be able to look into them for an extended period of time. Not that he was planning to.

The whole reason of his reluctance of seeing Gwen, beautiful Gwen, perfect Gwen, his- no just Gwen, was that he left to get over her. And that he did. But now all of that had been threatening to fly out the window as she held him. His whole mind battled with him about if he should have really come back or not, if he was ready to be back. Then he noticed something. Gwen was _still_ holding him. And it had been increasing in tightness making it harder to breathe.

The battle of person vs. mind was over in his being, and the result being the two factions of Ben comprised to push aside the thoughts of ever thinking of Gwen as anything more than a cousin. A repressed emotion. One that was so strong that would come to bite him back in the ass for forgetting it. He broke the hug and his eyes fell on her, having trouble avoiding her orbs that shot up to his the moment he backed away from her only to see them dart away from hers as if they were a rabid wolf.

"B-Ben it's you. It's been such a long time! I really missed you!" A smile spread across her delicate features that became more and more cute as the light bounced off of her skin, and she beamed at him. She attempted to throw her arms around the young man in hopes of getting another hug, and he didn't return it. It was like hugging a statue. A breathing, moving, statue. She backed away like he did looking hurt in almost a pure obvious manner, and her eyes looked like they were pleading him to explain why they were doing such a thing at his lack of action.

A regretful thought flashed across his mind, the comprise would take place almost immediately, and emotions would be repressed. Like a separate entity, he apologized to them, before they seemingly disappeared. He smiled at her friendly, and picked up his bags. "Sorry dweeb. Just a little tired from the ride here is all." Not a total lie in all technicality after all. She seemed pleased with this answer, and nodded enthusiastically. To him she looked like an excited child on Christmas day, which wasn't really far from being right on the dot. "We have so much to catch up on Ben!" She said to him as he let out a little smile before retreating up stairs. Then a thought hit him. Where were his parents?

He stopped at the second flight of stairs in the fairly big house and walked down the hall. The lights had been moved towards the ceiling, being held in the corners that separated the ceiling from the wall. It smelled like coconut, probably due to his mothers sense of smell favoring that particular fragrance. But he didn't mind, he just wanted to get to his room and lie down, the suit cases were getting pretty heavy every passing second. His footsteps stopped abruptly at the end of the hall, and he lowered is luggage to open his door. As he walked in he turned on the light, revealing the room that had been his home for so many years. Shielding him from cooties and the girls that he had become popular with over the years. The place were at a young age he would make forts and leave his plates and cups around, well, he still pretty much did that still. Where he had neglected and procrastinated to do his homework until the last minute, or the next day. Yes, it brought back a warming sense of nostalgia of the years past, but two things were very different.

1) There were many boxes throughout the room, some of which were small, and some big. It gave a very cluttered scene to whoever saw it. And 2), there were girl clothes sticking out of them purses, and others well, _private things_. He quirked an eyebrow at the sight before places his thing on the bed thankful that there was still _some _space left on it, and exited. "Gwen!! What's the deal with my room! Why is there all that girly crap in there???" She heard his voice call out to her from upstairs. "Oh! My mom and dad are gong on a business trip somewhere in Oregon or Kansas or something! So mom let me stay…! Here." She lowered her hands from her mouth seeing Ben at the top of the stairs looking at her like she was stupid. "Why are you yelling? I'm right here. Stupid." Okay, maybe he did think she was stupid for that.

"Pfft, whatever dork, this coming from a boy who micro-waved peanut butter while it was still in the container!" Her voice couldn't have been more playful and he couldn't have been less prepared for a comeback. Then again, he might. "Nerdlinger!" "Geek!" "Dweeb!" "I-I-" Gwen paused, looking defeated. "Whatever. I'm much more mature than this I've got better things to do than prove the obvious." Ben raised his arms in celebration shouting, "Whoo-hoo!"

Like an idiot. Gwen, sensing the resemblance of that and a certain character from a show this author does n** own, smirked to herself as she went to the living room and sat down on the couch. "Shut up Homer Simpson!" The sound of a, "D'oh!" Was heard immediately afterwards. Gwen chuckled to herself as she picked up the remote and turned the TV on. "I missed him so much…" She whispered to herself absent mindedly as her fingers guided the buttons to switch channels. Then a thought came to her mind that made her happy. Or mischievous. _'We'll be sharing a room!! Whoo-hoo!'_

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the shower upstairs turn on and the bathroom door shut. Yet another thought came to her that decided to be voiced aloud.

"What's a nerdlinger?"


	4. The Shower Incident

I want to thank all my reviewers! Oh yeah anyone know how to participate in a forum? i gotta get on that... And forgive me if this chapter isn't really that good, im most likely going to edit it.

**DISCLAIMER: I do*'* own Ben 10 anywhere and everywhere

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The night had been uneventful, and thankfully Ben didn't go on a rant about he did not want to sleep in the same room with his cousin; he was too tired for something like that. It had poured furiously outside that night, hitting the windows and rapping on the door eerily so much it gave Gwen the creeps. The night was as dark as it could be, shadows creeping everywhere they could, and somehow, the floorboards of the house decided to squeak on their own, as if someone was walking on them. As if the classic things that would scare someone weren't enough, the howled so distinctly, like a person; it was enough to make the auburn haired girl jump out of her skin! Luckily, a certain dark green eyed brown haired boy just had gotten back from high school. Just the perfect hero to protect her.

As a break from the pounding rain and thunder came, her eyes floated towards him. He sat on a couch, adjacent to hers, with an annoyed and more importantly embarrassed look plastered all over him. If his body language could speak, it would stutter. He had grown much older since she last saw him, but not in the age sense. He was more mature, yet not tightened up as he was when she last saw him. The young magic user could just see it by looking at him. The rustled haired that had stayed with him with what seemed forever was longer, and darker. It was about at his neck, shining often and always getting in his face. His eyes. _'His beautiful eyes.'_ Is what she kept coming back to when she stared at him for what seemed like the five-hundredth time since he got home that evening. At age ten; they were so full of playfulness and an image of a true free spirit, even when he became the bearer of the omnitrix. Only she saw that behind that the responsibility was crushing him. It always does that to heroes after all.

At age 15; they became hardened yet soft, but full of determination. She could always see the hard times he had when he played leader. This part of his life crushed the free spirit that once inhabited his eyes, leaving the playfulness to wither down to nearly nothing, as he was always being the hero. Often at times she wondered if that was how Ben 10,000 had gone down the road to being a full time, callous shell of his former self, and a hero. He had changed then, and he had changed when he got back. In simpler words; If Ben aged ten chose between Ben aged 15, and Ben aged 17 (almost Heheh) he would most likely make fun of the former and go with the most recent one. But Gwen hadn't noticed the pain in his eyes when he left.

How could she? She wasn't there. But what she did know was that she picked the wrong person back then, and would never do it again. But now, his eyes were a mix of his two previous selves, the playfulness danced in his eyes wildly, while the determination was ready to show through, should any trouble arise. Neither of them noticed though, and wouldn't even if he had stared closely into a mirror or if she had pressed her eye against his, that emotion that had been wiped away and any feeling he had harbored for her over the years. Gone. Or were they? After all, true love can never be withheld(1)…

It was abnormally quiet in the room between the two teenagers. Ben didn't want to speak and Gwen could barely stop from saying something that might make the situation worse. But her mouth had other plans for her brain to follow. "Ben I'm… Sorry." It was calm and collected, nothing short of what he expected from her. It flowed from her pink lips like it was no big deal! No, big, deal. Rage would be to strong a word for what was building up in him, and anger would still be more than needed. But, annoyed would fit the bill for that feeling in particular that had decided to take home inside him.

"No big deal huh?" The question was asked with disbelief dripping from the words as her eyes traveled to his. "You call… Walking in on me getting out of the shower, NO BIG DEAL??? And you're sorry!." She wasn't sorry at all. Not in the least. And never would be. Even though he may have been quick as she gained her bearings at the sight and hid behind the shower curtain, the tinge of red on his face was enough to make her heart float and her lips to curl into a girlish smile. But that would **never** be admitted.

"Yes." Her calm demeanor faltered as he turned away, and was being replaced slowly by the urge to shout out something she would definitely regret later, but what a certain side of Ben would love to hear. (See if you can figure it out on your own.) He was forced to turn around, as if someone were controlling him. _'Look at her you idiot!' _His conscience, or maybe something different entirely, told him. He turned around only to be greeted by her eyes going through him like he was smoke.

They were sharp, magnified, and they were centered on _him._ His whole body did not even bother to turn around as they looked at each other for what seemed like minutes when in reality was a short time span of seconds. For him it was awkward, having eyes like her look at him so intently. It seemed that she sensed his uncomfortable ness, and broke her gaze; reluctantly. "What do you want me to say Ben? I said sorry. There's not much else I can do!" Of course she missed him, but things got back to the way they used to be way to quickly. He was getting on her nerves already. And she did not mind that one bit.

"What did you see?" Her face mimicked a dumbstruck expression and faked confusion. "Huh?" Her eyes squinted at that, trying to make believe she didn't have a clue what so ever he was speaking of. "Don't play dumb nerdlinger!" A dramatic part to say the least, because if an on looker were to watch the scene, they would have saw a court room effect. (For those who do not know watch one of those weird court shows…) Ben pointed his finger at her accusingly, inches from her soft skin. They were right in front of an alcove the held the window, as thunder crashed through the sky and the rain picked up again without hesitation. The very sound shook them and resonated through the entire house, as a streak of light shone through the curtains rapidly, causing their shadows to show briefly behind them.

After looking at him and the window to the rain out of the house, she asked; "What the hell is a nerdlinger anyway???" That had been a question that had been popping up in her mind since he said it the first time, and a few other people too (2)… He let out a scoff as if the answer was as obvious to why people need air. "You. Ling. Nerds." His fingers rolled into circles and were placed on his eyes. "And you're supposed to be the smart one. Yeah right." Shoving his hands into his pockets, he made his way up the stairs once again. "That… That is the most stupidest thing I've ever heard!!" It must have not been, since while his back was turned he could hear stifled laughter from her direction. But that all ceased when she noticed the retreating figure on the stairs.

"Were are you going?" Gwen didn't even bother to mask the disappointment in her voice at all. What's the use anyway? "_I_ am getting a cover and some pillows. Perverts cannot be trusted ya know Gwen." It was playful, but she wasn't sure if she should acknowledge her sunken heart, laugh, or smile at what he was implying, or lastly, play dumb. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The road to denial is a very short one. She folded her arms also in a playful manner, wanting him to turn around. "Whatever you say lady. I'm still not sleeping in the same room with you."

With that, he left up the stairs, leaving her with her arms drooped to her sides confused written all over her face. Ben came back down stairs with three pillows and a black cover in his arms. He struggled with lack of grip on them, therefore making his biceps press through his t-shirt that he had conveniently changed into after his shower. Unfortunately for Benjamin, his pants, sweatpants to be precise, were falling down with every step he took. It just wasn't his day. But it _was_ someone else's.

_'Hormones. It's got to be the hormones. Come on Gwen. You can fight this! It's just… Ben. With biceps. In a tight looking t shirt. And sweatpants… That are falling…and falling even more… showing skin…Damn hormones… Thank you.'_ Thoughts can be so different from the person they originate from, or, they can actually be what that person really is. For Gwen in situations like these it's a little of both. He passed her without acknowledging her presence and placed the pillows and covers on the couch neatly, and when he was done, looked at his pensive cousin drooling. _'She's changed. So ! Drool! Cool, echoes!' _Some things never really change.

They didn't stay in that state for long, courtesy of the weather. The two heroes stayed up into the late hours of the night talking about their lives for the past two years. They laughed and joked around just like old times, which is really what Gwen wanted again. _'I forgot how good it was to hang out with him.' _"What time is it Ben?" Gwen rubbed her eyes and looked to him, at the end of the couch. She wasn't far away from him either. "Un, it's 11:457… Pass the pancakes please…" He mumbled incoherently but it was understandable. _'I think he meant 11:45...'_ Gwen let out a sweet giggle. "I think Mr. Tennyson has lost his touch of staying up late." It was too late, Ben was already asleep with his dark brown hair falling over his eyes like a shade. She saw his lips part and make soft breaths in and out, with the occasional storm. She was relieved when the storm had died down, now it was only the rain. So calm, so comforting, _'So sleepy…'_ With a yawn, she drifted out of consciousness, curling up to Ben's side and wrapping her arms around him in a loving embrace. It didn't matter what he would say if he woke up, because she would deal with that in the morning.

A strong emotion can't be held back for long. Not even a day. It's even shorter when that emotion in particular is love. It'll always be there. Mind body and soul. And for Ben, it's mind. Because not too long after she placed her arms around him, he did the same, and planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. But neither of them would remember it in the morning.

Some reunion.

**_'Love rules the unconscious, the conscious, and just about everything else..._**_'_

_ By: Some guy_

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(1) it is a great story, kind of short, but to the point. totally bwen. ^^

(2) just a nod to my reviewers. you guys rock!

Oh and nerdlinger is from an episode of the simpsons. an OLD one.i heard it like years so long ago and it just popped in my head! still makes me laugh too heheh.

I pride my self on making characters totally **out** of character and being a junky for fluffy bwen moments. I cant help myself. What would be the fun if I did?

P.s.: If the lawyers come around...ATTACK THEM


	5. Families coming together

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Hey guys! Did I take too long to update? Well, heres the 4 chapter of **Welcome Back Ben 10**. I was wondering if I should change it to **Welcome back Benjamin Tennyson**. Whaddaya think?

Oh and, In my war against gwevin, i have found out something that will keep them apart in the show and Ben 10:Evolutions! Mwahahahahahaha!! Ahem, nothing unique though. Just look at my profile to check it out. And gwevins winning guys. They get more an more stories its kinda scary! Write bwenners write!

**DISCLAIMER: Never never! I will always say I do*'* own the Ben 10 franchise! I do*'*! -Lawyers cock their guns-**

**-Ben and Gwen jump through the roof ready to fight-**

**Ben:You really gonna try to take out the guy that brought me and Gwen together?**

**Gwen: Shame on you that's such a bad idea**

**Lawyers: Eepp...  
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Gwen was immobilized. She was sprawled on the couch her feet sticking off of it hanging in mid air. The unwanted sunlight from outside the window shone inside the house dimly, barely making it through the clouds that still held evidence of the previous night's rain. But it was deceiving, because it was considerably windy out still, and she was able to hear the trees shake and move with the current of the forceful air. But that wasn't important to her. Here she was, on the couch, having no idea what time it was. She looked around slowly with her eyes knitted together trying to fend off the intense light from the sun outside. Then she smelled bacon. The vile food that she would never eat unless she would starve or if it would save the lives of innocent people. Other than that, she wouldn't touch the stuff. How could someone possibly eat it anyway? It was an animal, and it actually looked disgusting to her as it cooked. What her father and mother possibly saw in that type of food was beyond her.

Her body willed it way to press up against the couch silently. For along time now it seemed she had been doing that. Whether it was at home, or here. Every morning she would just wake up and for a while look in front of her blankly, her beautiful emerald orbs boring into whatever dared get into her path. It made her sad. Even more so than when she thought Max had been missing. But it was because a Tennyson was missing. Missing from her life. And she would do anything to get him back. She was too stunned to do anything that first night when he left. It was an unknown concept to her. In her life especially after that fateful summer she never actually thought he would leave her. Especially not like how he did. Not a single word to her. Just, gone. Gwen had to find out from his mother where he went and why. And she was to taken off guard to do anything else but stare.

The first few nights a feeling crept up from the depths of her and plagued her mercilessly. It was regret. But the poor girl had no idea why. What could she have possibly done that she could regret? She was Gwen Tennyson, a magic user, a hero, a smart sophisticated girl with a very good and caring family. Her parents were geniuses, they actually invented plumber tech and this was a fact she had known for a while thanks to Max (My own little twist). Her Aunt and Uncle used to be plumbers as well but settled down to have a family (Another twist). The fact that they were able to hide it from Max by using alter egos was nothing short of awesome either.

Her Grandpa and Grandma were probably two of the most inspirational people to her ever. Her boyfriend Kevin was tough on the outside, but she knew that there was something on the inside that she liked. It seemed that everyone in her family had something to be proud of. All heroes in their own right in her opinion. But there was something that always ate at her. It was just 'LIKE' with Kevin. Even when she said she loved him her mind would always say like. It puzzled her to no end but she pushed it aside. And then there was Ben. They hated each other as kids. Couldn't be in the same room for more than at the most five whole minutes. Insults were always thrown around relentlessly at the between them. And yet, she missed those times. It was simpler and better back then. No having to save the world as much, no going to the future, and no heroes business. They needed someone to hold onto during their little escapades though. Someone that they knew would understand the responsibility that weighed them down so much as heroes. But she knew he needed it more. Ben; the best person she knows, the funny, kind, heroic boy she grew up with.

These thoughts and feelings broke her apart on the inside the first few nights after the future hero of the earth left Bayville. As smart as she was, there wasn't a single clue in her head. She asked her father, her uncle; and came up with indigestion or sickness. She asked her mother and Aunt; and even though their answers were more plausible than their significant others, they were preposterous. Love. Being a girl Gwen found herself liking those romantic movies and such, but never gave a good thought anywhere near that type of love. She loved her family, her life, and the warm feeling she got whenever she would save people from aliens. But never the less she tried to match up the feeling she got with Kevin.

Again and again. It was unfortunate that this problem was like a puzzle; and it needed matching pieces. They just weren't compatible at all. The feeling that would strike her over and over at night and her boyfriend. They refused to. She didn't give up, however. Although at first she wished she had. There was only one person left for her. And she kept his photo in her room among other ones. Green, warm eyes, Short, brown hair, and a goofy smile to match as he ran from her past self. The emotion that the two female members of her immediate family called as love, seemed to recede at night when she looked at that photo. She found herself smiling almost every time, followed by a few tears escaping her eyes and trailing down her face. But she realized it immediately.

She loved Ben.

Benjamin Tennyson, hero, savior of her life som many times she couldn't even count. And her cousin. And she wasn't as shocked, or appalled, or disgusted with herself as she thought she should have been. It just felt, right to her. But trying to avoid these feelings by getting closer to Kevin, just drew her more to Ben. And when she decided to break it off, only one thing happened; she gave in. That emotion made her happy and sad at the same time. Happiness radiated from her like sunlight, and her parents were so glad that she wasn't depressed anymore. But, sadness was there as well, like it was in the shadows of her. Because he left. But one thing took that away from her. High school wasn't forever, and he would come back soon. The first year she wished he would come back. And he didn't. But the second year-

"Oh you're awake." A voice all too familiar broke her out of her thoughts. She looked behind the couch and the night before all came back to her. Ben stood in the door way holding a bagel with what looked like to be bacon in between it. Normally she would scowl, or use her professional know-it-all-ism to make anyone regret eating it, but she just smiled. He struggled to get the damn thing into his mouth but the bagel obviously did not want to be eaten. He took small nibbles and bites from it reluctantly. It was a much better idea to shove the whole thing into your mouth and stretch it and become deformed right? And possibly choke on it too. He was hold a napkin over it though, which was something in her opinion. At least there would not be any crumbs everywhere. _'He actually got manners. Wow.' _

She thought as she sighed contentedly which caused Ben to looked up at her with a piece of bread hanging from his mouth. "Hey youf egfst and toafts are gonna get colft Gwen." She could instantly understand what he said. (A/N: I know some probably got this but eh just in case; "Your eggs and toast are gonna get cold Gwen") She spent part of her life around him and his childishly cute antics. She would be oblivious if she didn't know. "You? You made breakfast? Oh I have to see this." She arose from her seat and brushed past him expecting to see the kitchen in shambles, with smoke coming from every major electrical appliance, the stove having fire from the inside and burnt toast and something that wasn't anything near eggs on the table with stains on the wall. But she shook her head. _'Gotta stop watching those comedy movies.'_

But the last thing she expected to see was the kitchen completely clean, with none of what the comedy scene in her mind had predicted. On the table sat her breakfast. It wasn't burnt, or altered like she expected. The toast was a light brown with butter melting on it just how she liked and jelly over it. The eggs were in another plate with cheese melting over them and smoke coming from them. Needless to say she was taken off guard long enough for Ben to sneak up behind her. "You gonna eat or not Gwen? If you don't I will."

He licked his lips and looked at the plate on the table greedily, but it was as obvious as daylight he wasn't serious. But Gwen didn have to show that she knew that. "No dweeb I want it!" She palmed his cheek and pushed him away playfully before walking to the meal; not taking her eyes off of it once. She looked at it questionably exchanging glances at it, and looks at Ben who was still eating the bagel with small bites. "You made this?" He stopped, about to shove the whole thing in his mouth now that it was small enough. It looked kind of funny; his hands were raised over him, and the bagel just above his mouth, and his eyes looking at Gwen semi annoyed.

Her stomach growled just then, breaking his stare and making his snicker at her a little. "You should really focus on eating that and not worrying about who cooked it ya know." He said to her after he finished the bagel. Gwen looked at him again, curious. "Well, **did** you cook it?" He shook his head with eyes closed in a denying manner and jerked a finger to his right toward the counter. "Nope." She wondered why he had pointed there of all the places or all the things to do before she heard a familiar chuckle. It scared her a bit, actually more surprised than scared. She looked over to the counter and saw a man in a Hawaiian shirt and brown khaki shorts. "Grandpa?" Yes, that's right. Max Tennyson stood before her drinking a glass of apple juice with a smile on his face.

"Morning Gwen."

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Review? Pleaaase?? Eh do want you want. -crosses fingers- the buttons right here, under these words. Its so simple...


	6. A noticeable difference

** Sorry guys. This is most likely the worst chap so far. Just a rough draft, since I wanted to hurry and update. sorry^^'**

**P/s I hate this chapter...**

**DISCLAIMER- The lawyers own everything now!! Yes! They won!! They Have gotten CARTOON NETWORK! Except for Ben 10 I bought that last week.

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**

"Morning Gwen."

The words came out so easily, like a free river spreading across the ground… And why wouldn't they? It's not like there was anything to contradict the easiness and calmness of them anyway. It was just that, she hadn't seen him in so long. It had been a few months or a year, she had already lost count. First Ben, then her grandpa. It wasn't that simple though. She wished it was, but in her life, she learned that even though when something appeared to be easy, it was at all. When he, Ben, left, nothing was really the same, hell, even **Kevin **missed him to some degree. His parents weren't the same either, always going on any mission they could to get away from the apparent lack of excitement and noise that used to be there.

Max, not being able to quell his thirst for adventure set off with Verdona, to who knows where. And then her parents left… She was basically alone then. All gone. Just, the fact that none of them could stay away for ever kept her happy, and know it was getting even better. But, when that happens, everyone knows life uses it to blind sight you from some unfair occurrence it has in store for you, and everyone else. Her mind was absent by now, seeing him here, and her mouth took over as best as it possibly could, but the outside activities of birds, lawnmowers, and sprinklers, nearly drowned her voice out totally. It did the only thing it could do when her mind took it's random, yet, increasingly frequent vacations.

"Morning Grandpa." Unconsciously, a smile formed on her face, as she watched him look over to Ben. "And look at this guy here!" He exclaimed, alerting his grandson from his position at the doorway. He didn't move at all, just shifted his eyes from the floor to the retired plumber where a pleased smile on his face came also, but not at the appearance of his grandfather, no, that already came, this one, was for the new cooking skills he got since he was there last. It was almost if he _actually_ read a cookbook! The breakfast was very good, compared to his older meals which made Ben want to vomit just by seeing a mental picture of them. How someone could stomach something like that was practically inhuman, and even his aliens didn't like to eat it! But maybe it was some sort of special plumber training that he never heard of.

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It wasn't a little known fact that there were things Max knew that he never heard of at all. "What about this guy here? And I should say the same about you, Grandpa! You actually made good breakfast! Good for you!" He exclaimed exactly like Max, his voice dripping with sarcasm that he hope Gwen didn't catch. Max smiled at the complement, he put his best ingredient in the breakfast for the best taste. "Was it really that good Ben?" He looked at Gwen who was still sitting down at the table, with her breakfast in front of her. She took nervous glances at him and the breakfast as he answered. "Oh yeah it was pretty good, could have sworn he picked it up from a diner or something. You should try it." There was something about the tone in his voice that told her not to listen, but she convinced herself that it was because she hadn't heard it in so long.

She scooped up some eggs in her fork and the second she put it into her mouth, she regretted it oh so terribly. A slow grimace came on her face as Ben stifled his laughter. "Yes, its… great… Grandpa…"Her face took on a light sickly shade of green, and her eyes drooped down as she clutched her stomach. The only thing to contradict this obvious display of Max's food poisoning was the smile one her face that was so fake, you would most likely be able to pull it off like a Halloween mask. But extraordinarily Max did** not **notice it! "Ya' really thinks so? I put some of my famous squid sauce in those eggs! I knew you two would like them!" Gwen only nodded before her stomach let out what would sounded like a grumbling scream. Ben tried his best to clasp a hand over his mouth, but it was useless. She got up and with her hands on her stomach ran out of the room. But Ben caught a rather hurt expression on her delicate features that wiped the laugh off his face. "So Ben," His grandfather pointed to the chair Gwen had just been in, so he could sit down. Strangely all had become quiet, not even the lawnmowers or birds made any noise at all. But Max didn't care about that right now. He had something to see.

"How's it to be back?" Ben raised and eyebrow, before shrugging his shoulders, ruffling them up a bit. "It's good I guess. I just couldn't really stand it in New York much longer, if I could I would have stayed." It was spoken with utmost seriousness, that Max had never heard come out of his Grandfathers mouth. He was so used to the Ben that was cocky, brash, head-strong, and a joker. _That_ was the Ben who had been on the summer trip 6 years ago. Where everything changed for them. He could tell that this Ben, was the same, yet, not the same; his eyes looked like they were hiding something… Something strong. Something, that wasn't supposed to be hidden. Something changed when he was away, but Max didn't know what it was and had not even the slightest clue. It was like his eyes hid everything.

Apparently, Max Tennyson never heard that time changes everything huh? But never the less, he broke out of his thoughts, as Ben retaliated with a question of his own. "Why you ask?" He simply shook his head and smiled, "Just thought you'd miss Gwen is all." Ben stares at him for a few seconds with a blank expression, not revealing anything. "What? Why in the heck would I miss that dweeb?" Such a lie. A very terrible lie. A cold one too. Yet, technically, it wasn't, but language and meaning can be so confusing it's hard to keep track. But still, it was a lie, that neither of them knew it was.

Max looked back at him in disbelief. He said it with a straight face, without laughing. It was so obvious for years! If you could look hard enough you could see that it was. The way the two went at with each other you'd be blind not to. He cared for her, but… not… now. This whole thing was starting to give the retired plumber a head ache, and a bad one at that. But not because of this, it was something else entirely. "I don't know, I just thought you would. Anyways, I have to be going now, have a nice day Ben." He pushed his chair back and slipped on his coat; and walked out the door without waiting for a reply. "See ya later Grandpa." Sighing, the young man walked up the stairs, looking in the bathroom to see Gwen hunched over the tub, gagging. '_maybe that wasn't such a good idea… Oh well.'_

Wanting to clean his room of all the boxes and such, he opened it, and moved one so he could sit on the neatly folded quilt. But something caught his attention. A white piece of paper..._'Huh, wonder what that is.'_ Now Ben never really remembered **exactly ** why he left in the first place, other than to go to a good school. He never exactly** wondered **why when he thought about past dreams that would randomly pop up in his thought process why there were gaps. But now, he forgot about it. The page was all worn out and slightly ripped, but readable and his eyes trailed along the paper as the words went through his mind, of course not literally. But first, he skipped to the bottom.

'_Tonight's the night… It's now or never…_' He dropped it just as Gwen came in with a murderous glare on her face.

Two things went through his mind at that moment. 1, what did that paper mean, and two, maybe he **shouldn't **have made her eat the breakfast after all…

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Don't hate me, heh, I sorta uh, lost my muse. But I will make this better. I hope. And if you actually like this crappy chap, god bless you.


	7. Praise

Hmmmm, I have my muse back! Yay! And what do I have to thank for it? Why, WE The Kings: Secret Valentine of course.

**DISCLAMER: Screw this, just read the story and review please.**

Lawyers: Mmmph!( Help Us!)

Ben and Gwen: Shut up!

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There comes a time in a person's life where they realize a number of things. It could be how to solve a problem in work, though that would most likely be in the early stages of life. It could be the realization that if you do something, there is most likely going to be a outcome or separate effect that is undesirable, or just plain unwanted. But the one most people experience in their lives are regret. It comes in different forms, different types, and different kinds. Closely related to guilt, and can lower someone's ego big time, or just make a person depressed. But the regret Ben was feeling right now was not that of guilt, or anything close to that. It was fear.

_'Uh oh.'_ Why did he have to get her to eat that breakfast?? He kept asking himself that, but the only thing his mind could come up with was a mental image of his ten year old self. What the hell did that have to with anything??! Before he left, as kids, he learned a **very **valuable lesson that all boys would be bound to learn sooner than later. Though it would be in their best interest to learn it sooner, lest they experience doom by a girls hand. That lesson was: Never piss off Gwen. EVER. Sure she wouldn't do anything serious while Max was around, and eventually he was good enough at holding her back, but what about the times where he wasn't? Well, those times, weren't very fond. They ended up with her sitting on him choking him or ringing his neck, playfully but most of the time it was violently. But back then he didn't mind the sitting part one bit. Hey, he's a boy. Go figure.

But now, he could only stare. Her clothes were ruffled, and her eyes were droopy as if she hadn't gotten much sleep. She hadn't vomited at all, much to her dismay. The eggs were raging a storm on her stomach, creating annoyance which she was happily going to take out on who? Why Ben of course. The dark brown haired boy had numerous ways to avoid any sort of bad outcome of this situation at hand. One of them was to try to make a run for it and hide some where, but no, she would find him. _'Hmmm, face the consequences? Hell no! Think Ben Think!'_ She started pacing back and forth in front of the doorway, so he couldn't get anyway out. The bad thing for her was that she couldn't use magic. The good thing was that this was Ben. Good ol' predictable, easy to fool, Ben. _'Wait… I got it!'_

He walked forward, in a surrender like manner, his hands up as if he was a thief that was caught red handed. "Okay dweeb. Ya got me. Take your hit. But I warm you, you get two shots. Then all bets are off." A scowl gratefully formed on Gwen's face. Just who did he think he was talking to? Apparently he had no idea he was talking to the girl who got her black belt in Tae Kwan Do last year. Gwen was really confident in her fighting prowess, though it might not be the best, it sure as heck got the job done during her classes at the local plumber facility. She wasn't going to let him live this down when she flipped him on the back and pinned him to the floor just like old times. Putting down his hands, he forced himself to hold back a smirk. Just what was he planning? Gwen charged forward, not running, more like pouncing at Ben with her hands out. Too bad she didn't notice what he just grabbed be hind his back and gripped tightly.

The next events left her awe struck.

1) He moved to the side, and grabbed her wrist.

2) He had been gripping a discarded shirt from the boxes and at her face, covering her head, blinding her.

3) He pushed her into the pile of empty boxes and clothes on the bed and ran the hell outta there!

Well, Ben didn't exactly spend two years away doing **nothing**. There were Plumber facilities everywhere, and if it wasn't for the plumbers, he would have his arms being pulled behind his back right then. Knowing his victory was short lived, he held the door knob so she could not pull it open. _'Whew. God bless the toilet cleaners…'_ Those 'toilet cleaners' as he affectionately named them, kept his classes from reaching the other Tennysons. They felt it was best that he come back with a couple of, 'surprises'. "Ben! Ben!! Let! Me! OUT!" The sound of her trying to pull the doorknob in her direction interrupted her yelling, that all the while made Ben cringe. "Just like old times right Gwen?!" He had to yell as a result of the jingling getting louder. And then, it suddenly… just… stopped. He wondered why and took a peek through the crack of the door frame only to see a purple light glowing from the confines of the room.

Piecing it together he widened his eyes. For those who do not know, Gwen is part anodite like Ben, but she has the 'spark'. Anodites can manipulate energy, and/or use magic. Gwen part anodite + using magic = a big no for Ben. "Oh. Crap." He broke off running again just in time to avoid being thrown in the other room which had its door open, from the aforementioned door that he had been holding Gwen in. Splinters flew everywhere as Gwen's hands lost there purple hue, but her eyes still retained a 'playful murderous intent. He turned around to face her, only to see her running at him with her hands out ready to choke the poor boy. _'Crap…come on come on come on!'_ Finding exactly what he was looking for, he pressed the fateful watch on his armed and a green light blinded Gwen, and it disappeared in time for her to see a dinosaur like thing in a bodysuit with that all too familiar symbol on it.

"Who wants to get their butt kicked magically doofus." He tapped his head with his fingers and waved, before a burst of wind came and he wasn't there any longer. Gwen sighed, turned to the bedroom door, well what was left of it, and rubbed her head, pushing her orange hair out of her face. "Just like old times alright."

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"He's back isn't he?" The voice was feminine, and it bounced off the walls and windows of the empty alleyways in one of the more quiet parts of Bayville. The weather had calmed down, and the sun appeared, but that didn't mean it gave out it's heat. It was oddly cool, and brisk. The feminine voice originated from a woman, in a violet cloak, with her white hair hanging down past the hood of the cloak, which was lined in black. Her eyes were a sharp purple, and seemed to stare into what was standing in front of her. "Yes he is… Verdona." Verdona Tennyson. The anodite that revealed Gwen's true powers, was not the perfect grandmother. Not the perfect wife. And even though she didn't try to be, she loved her family with all of her heart. Her son, her husband, and her grandchildren. The last one was the most true of all. She would do **anything** for her grandchildren. **Anything**. And it hurt her to no end that she had to play favorites for the good of one of them. She wasn't the most perfect person, and she never would be. That was that.

"You should go visit them. I'm sure they mi-" She glared at the man, her eyes speaking tremendous volumes of how she would tear him a new one if he even tried finishing that sentence. "No _they_ don't! She does. Not him. He could care less." The words could have been sharp to the end, but the last ones softened her voice, and her facial features against her will. "It's not your fault Verdona. It never was. You just did it to protect him. No blames you for that." Her eyes darted to him, pleading for a better answer. But her mouth had other ideas. "You have no idea what you're talking about! I blame me okay? All their lives I stood by in the shadows, missing birthdays, report cards, celebrations Max! And then when I finally got the chance to do what I wanted to. To see them… You know what I did?" The former plumber sighed knowing exactly what she was going to say next. "I played favorites Maxwell! I shunned one, for the other! Because of some idiotic rule! You should have seen the look in my eyes when he showed me that watch! Disgust… It was disgust!" He walked forward, wind rushing pass them, blowing her cloak backwards, and her hood down. Embracing her in a hug, he whispered peacefully in her ear, "It's not your fault Verdona, he doesn't know. And now that he's back, we'll tell him everything, and straighten everything out. I promise."

She pushed away from him, a stray tear sliding down her cheek while her face became nearly emotionless. "That's not something I look forward to Maxwell. Not at all." When he tried to brush the tear away she slapped his hand back and back away further, shaking her head. "Have a nice day, 'sweetie'." Pulling her cloak up again, she walked past him, both of them staring forward, with her cloak swaying with the wind. Max sighed sadly, looking down at the ground, and walked forward as well, not looking back. _'If he only knew…'_

Outside of the alleyway, Verdona felt a gush of wind go past her down the street, and knew exactly what it was. More tears fell as she stopped and slumped against a nearby wall, closing her eyes. "I'm proud of you Ben." Was all she wanted to say to him the most. The one that mattered as much as 'I love you.' All she wanted to do was hug her grandchildren as much as she could, but she knew only one of them would hug her back. "I'm so proud of you…" And with that, she sobbed quietly, with no one around to watch, against the cold brick wall of a building, when her grandson went past her.

_Ben walked out of the school building toward the dormitories of his highschool, after a detention that he seemed to have every other day. But he stopped, shocked, when he saw his grandmother standing in front of him, with a smile on her face._

_"So this is were you've been for the past year huh Benjamin? It's good to see you." A look of utter contempt appeared on his face, that wiped the smile off of hers. This, wasn't the same Ben she remembered at all. Walking toward him, her smile appeared again despite the scowl accompanying his already less than pleased expression. She hugged him, only for him not to hug back._

_"They miss you."_

_She wasn't surprised at all when he pushed her away, but it did surprise her how much it hurt. Ben knew what she was going to say next, so befoe she got a chance, he cut his grandmother off._

_"Verdona, I'll come back when _I_ want to. Get away from me." It was hard for him to tell if he was sorry for doing this, but, the feeling he got from it was _good. Too good. And _the words came out hard, and cold, just the same as the look in his eyes. With that, he walked away, disappearing behind the corner of the school building. But what he didn't know was that she didn't want to say, "Come home", no, she wanted to say aloud:_

_"I'm so proud of you." _

_That moment she hated what her race was more than ever, it was their fault it was like this.

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I told you guys I'd make it better!! Sorry for the O.d.-ing on the angst, but it had to be done. Review please!


	8. 16 years ago

Now this, is a little explanation to the events in the last chapter. And one or two concepts might be a little cheesy, but bear with me. Its a flashback chap so, no bwen moments here, just a few OC's. And, .......... sorry for not updatinginsolongbye!!

**DISCLAIMER:** I said last time... Screw this!

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_**15 years ago**_

It was dark everywhere, though it was evident that lingering figures stood in the darkness, all staring at the same thing. Their eyes shone like a radiant violet, and represented power, respect, no, they _demanded _respect. They were symbol of order, to some, and the sign of the need to change to others. But _they_ had a name, _they_ still do. They preferred to be called as energy beings. I.e.: Anodites.

All powerful, manipulators of what is not be able to be seen, but is still there in all actuality, light air. It seemed impossible for some, or most, but it was routine for these guys, like instinct. And like instinct, they had nearly one track narrow minds, with the personality of course. Without any sign, the lights came on around them, not illuminating the entire room, but enough for them to be seen. There were little purple lights at the edges of the crescent shaped desk, that was in rows, on top of the other in 3, a simple receding manner, and between each figure, of which there were at them. They, the six, were all female. Two of the women seemed to be twins, but it was hard to tell, as they were not as distinguishable as they would be if they were actually flesh in appearance.

They looked to be different variations of violet, the first, noticeably taller anodite, was a faint reddish violet, with one pony-tail above her head and a thick bang to the left side of her expressionless face. Or maybe it was, who could tell? The other was a light indigo, with her hair down, pulled behind her ears. They both bore tattoos, elongated commas on the sides of their heads, though they were different from each other to tell the other apart.

The next one, was shrouded in a grey cloak, with her 'skin' light silver, almost blending in with the clothing. Her eyes were white, a sign of authority and greater power among their people, but also showed compassion, which was rare of the ones in positions such as these, but it was needed. The last woman was a radiant white, the most skilled and adept one of the group, and a pink tattoo on her hand like a tribal 'k', but altered. Her hair was short, unlike the first two, and stopped at her ears. And her eyes were an unnerving yellow and white, piercing whatever was in their path. In other words, she was looking straight at Verdona Tennyson.

These four were the government of the anodites, not the _only_ government mind you, but the one most worth mentioning. As such they were nicknamed from their personalities outside of their careers. The first two were Calmness and Patience, or Udana and Rainia, the ones that kept their attitudes in check. The third was Tiropey. The kind one, and the fun one, who was heavily criticized for her resemblance to humans in terms of personality, was the oddball as well as the child. This proved accurate as she was the youngest of the four, and still acted as such. The final one, the one that seemed to be the leader was Meygana, the one who didn't take shi- er, _crap_, from anybody.

"So, what do I owe this pleasure among pleasures, to be presented in front of the four, like this, huh?" Verdona asked, sarcasm and joking laced with her words, making three of the four smirk, but not you know who. Clearing her voice, Meygana spoke, narrowing her eyes at before she even started to speak, like she didn't want to say it. "You know why you are here Verdona. This little, 'pleasure among pleasures', as you put it, is concerning your grandchildren, who have as you put it, our 'spark?" A grimace formed on Verdona's face, knowing the _she_ of all people who get straight to the point, and make it harder than it already was. "Yes? What about them? They have the spark, and I plan to tell them some day. Just not soon is all." They looked at her with mixed expressions, having expectations of how this would turn out. "And why is that, Verdona?"

Tiropey spoke lightheartedly, like Verdona had done so many times before, and Verdona felt that she was rubbing off on the younger anodite more and more. But, in an instant, her face turned serious, and it mingled with a look of disgust and contempt. "Those, _people_ that they are around, like the governments and such, don't trust things, beings like us. Not us in particular, but they hide things from their own people, _dangerous_ things capable of unfortunate events that could occur should they happen, or _break_ out.

"They would rather have the power for themselves if they found out, study it, try to replicate it, to harness and control it for there own warped needs. The people can be diluted to the point of hate, and would even discriminate and kill if one of them were different. Some do it for jealousy, others do it because they think its right, and some have no choice because they are forced into it… or else." She finished, rolling her eyes. Udana decided to make an inquiry, as this was a tad bit worth worrying over. "How, do you know of all of this, Verdona? If it is not known amongst them, how are you privy to this sort of informational behavior they seem to possess?"

The other three nodded, looking curiously with their pupil less eyes blinking once or twice. "One, Udana, is that it happens with the children the most. Their labeled and sorted, and the more obnoxious ones judge the others as if they were superior. And two, there are examples of what it would be like everywhere, though my favorite is the X-men." She smirked, making a mental note to ask Max for their new issue.

"Ahem. Regardless of these facts Verdona, what this is about is the… abnormalities in your grandson." Her eyes widened a bit, but it was clear that she didn't like this bit of news at all. Continuing from Meygana, Rainia said, "You have the right to be taken aback Verdona. He will… repel you." In anodites, there are laws of attraction, like on earth, but these were friendship, or in terms of family. There are also laws of repel, where areas if one did repel another, they would hold dislike, hate, anger, at the other. It is often one-sided, but if it were two-sided, then like a magnet, if enough force was applied to the opposing ends, the would attract, though it would be permanent, unlike the magnet.

"That's only the first thing. The other is his DNA. The abnormalities there seem to fight and decay his dormant powers which will not ever surface, and so, he, is anodite, but he is not. It also enhances his, aggression." Verdona wasn't stupid, she was able to answer and understand many riddles, logical questions, and keep up with the ever so fun tongue twister contests her son and husband used to have. There was only one thing that she could think of right now that could fit the bill.

"It's me that'll do isn't it?? I have to stay away from my grandson don't I." It was spoken as a statement, not a question, because she already knew the damned answer. And she didn't like it at all.

"You have to understand that if you don't it would only make things worse. If you get attached now, your attachments will only be severed as he grows older Verdona." Meygana took the chance to speak, in order to change the subject. "It is not up for debate Verdona. You **will **stay away from Ben. For his safety, and Gwen's." Regaining composure she didn't know she lost, Verdona nodded and smirked despite the situation. "Yes… _Mother."_ Meygana seemed irked at that, and twitched, but kept on. "You will confront them in fifteen years time. Think of it as, a, stylish entrance when you do as well. And "Verdona nodded again, and tried to look on the bright side.

_'It's not like I even have anything to lose… Right? They're newborns, incapable of speech, or even comprehension for that matter. I won't be missing out on anything special.'_

But she was wrong. Oh so very wrong. Because that little thought, that little denial to the little package deal that came with descendants. Those were familial ties. And it would bite her back later, but for now, she bid the four farewell, and left.

"Next order of business!" Tiropey spoke loudly, with a smile, glad to get through the hard part of her day. Seeing the others look at her with puzzled expressions, she elaborated.

"Find out where we can get this, X-men thing. I think I'm gonna like it!" Udana stifled a girlish giggle, while Rainia sighed and pinched her nose, and Meygana just rolled her eyes and put her hand on her head, silently wishing her daughter had stayed, so she wouldn't be stuck listening to Tiropey act like a total kid.

They were _very_ different outside there jobs after all.


	9. Content Competition

A/N: Okay now I have never EVER been good with more than 2 character interaction or OC's. These are my very first OC's so please tell me if I'm at least doing something right with them. Plus I know that this is nothing like other chapters (to me it aint) and my reason for that is:

The Anime branch.

So many damn stories and authors better than me! Their stories beckon me to read them and I shall. They have poisoned my mind with novel fanfiction! (100,000 words long and very good FF) And as a result, I am now, well I always was, but still am a fan of...Well you guys dont need to know!

**_The anime branch changes you. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!_**

**DISCLAIMER: I own my OC's and my ideas, andBen10Iwonitinapokergame ^^**

R&R please!

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* * *

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_'Doesn't this situation seem familiar, now?'_

The hallway was basically a wreck, splinters everywhere, two doors broken down, singe marks in the doorways, and the things in the bathroom and rooms were thrown about, as an after shock to the ever so pleasant transformation thanks to Benjamin's watch.

_'Dammit Ben.'_

Yeah, just great. Just like a certain situation five years ago, involving valentine chocolate, mints, ice cream, milk, and grape pop.

And who in god's name was going to clean this up?

She was. Of course she was. She always ended up cleaning _something_ he left behind! Even his room, which had it's closet stuffed to the cracks, and nearly drown her when she opened it. Of course… Not all of the stuff in there was for kids… There were a few, _magazines_ so to speak that were rather, adult, and mature for someone like Ben. Oh she could only imagine what he did with those!

Well, her inner curiosity, anyway.

Just what in the name of normalcy was he doing with the New York times and National Geo graphics anyway?

That side of her grew to fill the space that he left behind, empty. She became what he was, in his absence: loud, goofy, and naïve. But that's not to say she wasn't still smart, she was just a little rusty in the knowledge in that area, and, a little more…. Stupid than she was before. She tripped often, or stared out into space frequently. On top of that, she forgot what she would say _right_ before she said it nearly everyday, her memory was shot so to speak, and Gwen grew a fetish for milkshakes. Now what does this have to do with the mess in the hall? Well, most of it is irrelevant at the time, but the fact that her memory was shot was a good enough excuse to do something else and forget about the whole thing.

It was best solution to any problem she had. Make the dweeb do it.

* * *

The teen just loved the feeling of wind in his hair. It was just so, _refreshing_ to him, like a breath of life that you could get high on in the best kind of way. It eliminated his insecurities, his inhibitions, and any negative thoughts that occupied his ever so useful roommate that was his brain. And right now he needed it, because something was troubling the poor boy.

The dweeb…et.

As he passed buildings and fields with people none the wiser, and making papers from newsstands go everywhere, she was on his mind. It was _bugging_ him to no end! He couldn't figure out what was wrong, and it was frustrating.

He always did this when he had problems like these. Where the answers were just a centimeter length out of his reach, so he couldn't get to them. That only left him more questions, naturally. In the summers, he used to visit Bayville, stopping around for two or three days before going back to New York for the rest of the vacation, not bothering to see his family. He knew he came there for a reason, yet, he didn't know what that reason was.

Maybe he was really _that_ absent minded.

All he could hear was the whooshing sound of the wind blowing past his ears so fast he could see it to an extent. If he were still himself, he wouldn't be able to breath, but thankfully XLR8 was not normal by regular standards. In his time that is.

Being incredibly murky and gloomy outside made it perfect for him. This was his favorite type of weather and he knew the perfect spot to be in his situation. There was this tree, right by a hotel that he stayed at once during his little trips back home, paid courtesy of the plumbers. The hotel in itself was not that big, just a wide, three story building, with the typical tan-apricot and burgundy paint. And right next to it, on the end of the street, was a tree. This tree was perfect for shade, and to get away from cold whether while in the branches, or to protect you from the rain. In essence:

It was an awesome place to be lazy and sleep.

Going back to his normal self with the regular blinding green flash, he grinned and stopped outside of the hotel. He hadn't been there since after his first year away, but knew he was always welcome there. He left quite an impression on the buildings owner, and her daughter too. He could only imagine just what they would look like when they saw him. _'Well, only one way to find out!'_

He opened the door silently not wanting to make his _dramatic appearance_ known. If they even recognized him at all that is.

Girls love the heroically cool entrances right?

**(OC's!)**

Some tears fell from her eyes, barely allowing her to see where she was going. Her hair cascaded in front of her face, obstructing it from view as she walked through the hallways of the house, all the while shining bright against the lights. The girl felt like she was going to cry at the moment, and bawl right then and there. Reading romance novels on a slow day always did that to her.

"Romeo, oh where art thou?" She asked to no one, cupping her chest and raising a hand, looking out into a non existent horizon. "Where art thou my precious prince? Respond so we may live happily ever after as I, your Queen, and you, my King!"

That's it; she couldn't hold her laughter in anymore.

Stifled giggles and snorts along with gasps for air escaped her as she crumpled against a wall by the lobby, her face red and tears cascading down her face. "What the- Oh What did you do now Kate? Stub your toe? Hit your head on the door or bathroom sink _again_? Or did you fall down and make a boo boo?"

The said girl looked up to see her mother, clad in a tacky pocca dotted yellow shirt and blue jeans, smirking down at her. "NO! I just… I was laughing." Her mother rolled her eyes, snorting at the girl who had just got up looking indignant. Well, as indignant as she could for someone who made an idiot of their self in public, laughing like a total doofus. She would have protested, but her mother put a finger on her mouth just as the clattering of dishes and cups sounded from the kitchen. Now, this wouldn't be such a big deal, as hotels had employees and _cooks_ that generally worked in the kitchen, but they were all home today, and that meant one thing:

Robbers!

If there was one thing that Kate and her mother couldn't stand, was some cheap tacky bastard who didn't have enough brains to go to a well fare office and decided to break in some innocent persons house. Her mother pitied the fool who did it on her watch, because she would most likely beat them to a pulp with a pan or chair or anything else she could get her hands on before the cops got there. She had this obsession about being a hero or helping people and would go on a rant every once in a while about _her_ hero. Her mother could only shake her head at that knowing the girl was having a crush.

Being as quiet as possible, the took separate paths to the kitchen, rounding the corners and looking through the doorway at the perpetrator who was going to get a good _free_ can of high quality, non perishable-kung fu-whoop ass. The said person even looked like some one capable of such stupidity. He was wearing a black jacket with white stripes along the arms and stone jeans, just sitting down at a table, eating a sandwich like all was well with the world and sported a goofy smile because of it.

Ben was nearly laughing out loud with glee. He could barely keep his strange sense of humor to himself as he imagined the gob smacked looks on the owners of the hotel. Not only had he got in without no one seeing, or hearing him (or so the impressionable teen thought), he had enough time to make a sandwich! The day could get better of course, with a little sumo slammer marathon here, some smoothies and rootbeer there, and some laziness under his favorite tree, hanging out with one of his true friends.

The fact that he hadn't seen them in nearly three years also added to his excitement, and he wondered if the would recognize him from the slightly under average 14 year old he used to be. He was taller, his hair was longer and a bit shaggier, and he got rid of the horrid bright green jacket that Kevin would always say screamed, 'Fruit salad'. Being as clueless as he was, he still knew what that meant and it still got on his nerves. He could only hope that they recognized him or else-

WHAM!

Ben look down at his plate to see his delicious sandwich all crushed and ruined with mustard and mayonnaise spurting out of it. "What the fu-" Yet again, WHAM! You see, luck was never ever ever ever a million times never on his side. Most of the time. This was a theory only supported by him, who thought that a sick outer force got kicks off of seeing his misfortune in the most humorous ways possible. He supported it so much that eventually it became a reality.

From Max's apparent _normal_ cooking of shrimp turning out to be the beast from the black lagoon, that was still very much alive I might add, to ripping and loosing his most prized possession, his teddy! He could not catch a break at all!

Every time he brought it up Kevin could help but snicker behind his back before plotting the next prank on the Troublesome tracking Tennyson.

"Who are you, you bum?! What are you doing in my house, eating my food, sitting in my table, in my kitchen-" Kateland Mesoly only found his eyes staring at her face, blankly. These weren't just _any_ eyes however. They were piercing green, looking at her with curiosity, playfulness, mischief, and it got one thing out of her… embarrassment. "W-what are you looking at me like that for?! Answer my- Heeeey!! Stop it!!" Ben laughed out loud, fully knowing from the look of the crushed loaf of bread and confusion on her face that she didn't know who he was. And there only one way to remind her of who he was.

"Stop tickling me you pedophile!! I don't know you!!" She said between laughs as he wriggled his fingers around her midsection, grinning like an idiot at the figure in one of the other doorways, who could only smile as she waited for her daughter to recognize who it was. But that would come before she turned red from laughing. "P-please… stop it… Have mercy…"He pulled her to the ground where she was in a fetal position, to overcome with laughter to do anything else. It was cute to him, how she seemed like a spit fire from hell before he got to one of her very exposable weaknesses and she became as helpless as a cute little kitten (Yay! Kitteeeeeeeeenns .).

"Really Benjamin was that necessary? You made her laugh nearly half to death!" A voice said from not far away. He grinned at the source. "Come on Lidia! Think of the poor defenseless bread that got caught in the crossfire! I say she deserved her punishment for taking the lives of so many wheat pieces that could have made delicious sandwiches for me in the future." Lidia, Kateland's mother, couldn't help but grin back at him as he picked her daughter up and brought her into the lobby. As he sat the barely conscious girl on a couch in front of a TV, she decided to get some questions answered.

"Finally back from the Toilet Plunger's? Or you just plan to stay for a few days and leave again?" A smile played on her face, but that's exactly what it did. It _played_, and actuality she felt like frowning at the thought. He was like a son to her, even though he stopped by once, she knew him all his life, and was like a little sister to his Grandfather. Her daughter, well… That was another story. She was pretty sure he had an avid admirer in her. "Nah, I'm here to stay. Well, at least for the rest of summer, then I go into hibernation." That answer was good enough for her as he chuckled, still grinning like a pot headed Cheshire cat who found an infinite number of mice to eat. Life was good for the fat cat.

But back to the point.

"You mind?" He asked, pointing a thumb to the TV in front of him. She smiled and hit his shoulder lightly. "Ben you know your always welcome here! Make yourself at home," He nodded and took the remote from a nearby table, and started flipping through channels faster than she could see, making her eyes glaze over trying to keep up. Seeing her expression he simply said, "Lot's of experience."

"Okay. Well, you hold the fort down since you're here and Kate is.. indisposed. I'll go grocery shopping I guess." Looking in the now slightly snoring Kate, he nodded, poking her head. "And Ben? Make sure to explain yourself for the love of god so no more wheat lives shall be lost!" With that she fell out of the doorway to outside in an over dramatic manner, the scenes of the two kids interaction playing through her head. She could already see her daughter reverting to a timid mess in front of the brown haired boy.

It was times like these that she wished she had a camera.

* * *

_"Hey. Come here for a sec. I wanna tell you something Katii." She looked around, finding herself in a field of flowers with the sun setting in the most romantic way possible, and the flowers glimmering with celestial elegance of the receding light along the horizon. She smiled at him, his eyes glowing with brightness and love. It was directed at _her_. He was all hers right now, she wouldn't have it any other way. _

_Walking towards him, feeling the breeze brush against her skin and blow the white dress peacefully. _

_"I've wanted to tell you this for a really long time now.. and- well, I-" He was silenced by her finger on his lips. "Shush. I already know." He grinned at her, before saying, "Good," sounding like a child at Christmas. Pressing his forehead to hers, he closed his eyes, and started to closed the gap ever so slowly.._

_"You know Katii, I really lo-"_

_

* * *

  
_

Kate stirred in her sleep, her hands reaching out grabbing the air and drool running down her mouth hungrily before bolting up, and looking around frantically. _'Dammit! Another dream! Wait…Oh no, he must have knocked me and mom out… Damn! I at least wanted to go out fighting! What would Benji think if he saw me now?'_ That thought along with her obviously fictional dream depressed her slightly as she voiced her inner thoughts aloud. "He would be disappointed in me.." Even though it was barely above a whisper, unknown to her, Ben heard it and looked from the TV in her direction. "Oh! You're awake! Finally."

Considering the fact that there was a robber in her house, and she was at his mercy, along with the fact that her dream was about to take a turn for the red light district and give consequences she could do one of three things:

1.) She could Make a run for it. (Classic)

2.) She could try to push him away and run for it (Movie Classic)

3.) OR She could try to beat the living shit… taki mushrooms out of him (The most absolutely stupidest answer that I don't even know why it's on the list at all.) (Mentally challenged resolve)

Raising her fist, she jumped on him before he could do anything, ready to punch his lights out.


End file.
